How to Levitate Like Criss Angel

Criss Angel, best known as the star on the TV show Criss Angel Mindfreak, is a magician and stunt performer who has performed the levitation illusion. Whether viewing it on television or live, the feat seems unbelievable, unless you know the gimmick behind the trick.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Prepare the pants. Start with a pair of black pants that have wide leg openings. On one leg cut a slit from the knee to two inches from the bottom of the pants. The slit will blend in with the loose fabric of the rest of the pant, hiding that part of the gimmick.
2. Find a pair of shoes that are easy to slip on and off the foot. Use a running stitch to attach the slit pants leg to the appropriate shoe. Practice standing up straight, while removing a foot from the shoe, passing the foot and leg through the prepared slit and lifting oneself up a step.
3. Set up the viewing area for the performance. Make sure there is a chair or curb to utilize during the trick in front of the viewing area. The magician will stand with his back to the audience, but make sure that no one in the audience has a side view to the trick.
4. Talk to the audience about how difficult the levitation trick is to perform. Stress how complete concentration is needed which is possible as long as the audience is completely quiet.
5. Turn away from the audience. While maneuvering the foot out of the shoe, through the pants slit and up on to the chair/curb, make movements with the hands as though one is attempting to fly. The hand movements divert attention from the feet.
6. Gently raise up on the curb/chair. Stay for 20 to 30 seconds before stepping down and putting the foot back in the shoe. Turn around and take a bow for the applauding audience.